ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. swing — music
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. chip — to eat
  9. degree — an amount
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. chip — for betting
  14. swing — in golf
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rock — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. board — to get on
  19. deal — to handle
  20. board — a committee
  21. degree — from a university
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com